Posted by Adam

Monday April 12, 2010

SHIA LaBeouf hates it when he’s compared to fellow Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron — because, he insists, he’s nothing like the hunky High School Musical star.

The 23-year-old actor — who stars alongside Michael Douglas in new movie Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps — admits he has a “dark side” and that he could never be perceived as squeaky-clean like some of his Hollywood peers.

“I’ve never been like Zac Efron,” he said. “I am a bit of an a**hole. I have a dark side. I’m a bit of a ruffian.

“I’ve never tried to be anything else. I was never educated properly because I got kicked out of every school.”

Shia then revealed he became an actor because of the money. “Initially, it was all money driven,” he said.

“I didn’t give a s**t about arts. We were as broke as balls, so I just wanted to move my family into better digs.”

Shia — who’s currently dating his Money Never Sleeps costar Carey Mulligan — recently admitted he has never wanted to romance an actress.

“I’ve said this before, women are a vice to me,” he said. “But that was a different time in my life. I have a problem trusting people and I never wanted to date an actress, but you can’t plan for this.

“It smacks you in the face, and everything I thought I knew, I didn’t know, so I’m just learning again. It’s great, it’s amazing. I was really lonely before, a really dark dude. I still am, but I’m better. I think love is my favourite hobby, for sure.

“I fall in love easily, but there’s a difference between being in love and being in a loving relationship. ‘In love’ is infatuation. ‘Love’ is when that love dies down and you’re just there. The burning volcano stops erupting, the lava gets cold. And I’m close to that for sure.”

Tags: shia labeouf, zac efron